Uber Just Announced A New (& Cheaper) Way To Get Your Next Ride

As a frequent subway rider, I don't pay to take Ubers frequently. In the rare event that I do, though, I almost always order a Pool. It might not get me where I want to go in the shortest amount of time possible, but I'm still able to take a car to my desired destination while paying the lowest possible price. But Uber's new Nonstop Shared Rides option will get you the best of both worlds, depending on what time you're seeking out a ride. And I'm definitely down for that.

On Thursday, Aug. 15, Uber announced a brand new feature within its ride-sharing app, known as Nonstop Shared Rides. Basically, when you order an UberX at certain times, you will be presented with the option to snag the last seat in an Uber Pool. After getting in with a crew of other random passengers, you will be the first to exit the ride. So, you'll be able to get to your destination in approximately the same amount of time as if you ordered an UberX, but alongside other passengers, so you're paying less and helping the environment. The passenger will then receive Uber Cash that can be used towards their next ride or Eats order. To be completely honest, it sounds like an absolutely incredible deal.

Luckily, depending on where you live, you might be able to use this new feature during your next ride with the popular ride-sharing service. In fact, according to the brand, it is now officially available in several U.S. cities, including: Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Denver, Colorado; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Portland, Oregon; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; and Washington, D.C. Hopefully, this glorious new feature will eventually make its way to more cities — specifically New York — because it would make all of my transportation dreams come true.

If you haven't been using Uber Pool from the beginning, you've been seriously missing out. The money-saving feature has been around for for a full five years as of this month, according to the brand. Like I said before, it saves riders decent money, and most importantly, it's done wonders for the environment. In fact, over the past several years, it has saved 9,000,000 gallons of gasoline. That's seriously game-changing, if you ask me.

The ride-sharing app is constantly looking for new ways to save its passengers time and money. In fact, early last year in February 2018, Uber introduced Pool Express, which has the rider walk to a "meeting spot" in the neighborhood. It saves the driver time and the passenger money. It's only available in a few cities, but it definitely makes picking up passengers more efficient.

While I love having an entire backseat row of a car to myself, there's no doubt in my mind that I'll be opting for Ubers new Nonstop Shared Ride feature whenever I possibly can. With the chance to get where I want to go in a shorter amount of time — and the ability to get Uber credit — it's definitely going to be the only way I take a car. Safe travels!